Errors Are The Stepping Stones to Learning: Trial-by-Trial Modeling Reveals Overwhelming Evidence for Mediator Retrievals of Previous Errors in Memory Consolidation

Recent studies suggest that errors facilitate learning in certain conditions. Despite this, reinforcement paradigms dominate learning methods, subscribing to the narrative that errorless learning is the foundation of an ideal learning environment. If we continue to view learning from this restrictive perspective, we may fail to capture and apply the benefits of errors. In this paper, we investigate two potential mechanisms of learning from errors. Participants (N = 61) learned word pairs in either a study or error trial before taking a final test. Supporting past error learning literature, errors before a study opportunity led to better performance on a final test. Differences in reaction times between conditions support the theory that errors increase learning by acting as a mediator, or secondary cue, to the correct answer on subsequent tests. Individual differences in model fit using log-likelihood trial-by-trial calculations solidified support for the mediator method.